Atlanta nonprofits provide legal clinics and ongoing advocacy for Afghan humanitarian parolees

Across 2022 and 2023, the IRC in Atlanta’s Immigration and Legal Services team, in partnership with the expert staff at Georgia Asylum & Immigration Network (GAIN) and many generous and dedicated volunteers, hosted 12 pro se legal clinics to assist Afghan humanitarian parolees to apply for asylum and/or Temporary Protected Status (TPS).

Photo: IRC Atlanta

Two years ago, more than 78,000 Afghans were welcomed to the U.S. through Operation Allies Welcome under a special process called “humanitarian parole.” This evacuation was a generational event and the largest of its kind since the Vietnam War. Humanitarian parole allowed Afghans to be admitted to the U.S. quickly and enables them to stay here for up to two years at a time—with applications for parole renewal recently opened—but does not guarantee a path to lawful permanent residence or eventual citizenship.  

Over the past two years, the state of Georgia has welcomed more than 1,700 Afghan evacuees who are working to rebuild their lives in communities across the state, and the IRC in Atlanta welcomed more than 800 of these individuals. Recognizing the urgent need to assist these families in securing a more permanent legal status—the same status offered to refugees who arrive through the traditional refugee admissions program—the IRC in Atlanta began a long-term partnership with Georgia’s preeminent nonprofit asylum experts, the Georgia Asylum & Immigration Network (GAIN).  

Across 2022 and 2023, the IRC in Atlanta’s Immigration and Legal Services team, in partnership with the expert staff at GAIN and many generous and dedicated volunteers, hosted 12 pro se legal clinics to assist Afghan humanitarian parolees to apply for asylum and/or Temporary Protected Status (TPS). A total of 598 clients were served through these monthly workshops, and all Afghan clients welcomed through the IRC in Atlanta were screened to ascertain the most suitable pathway towards gaining permanent status. 

The IRC in Atlanta’s Legal Representative, Lina Jarour, LL.M., organized and managed the logistics of several of the workshops: “As an immigrant coming from a conflict zone, I know exactly how important it is to feel safe and settled down. Therefore, I feel responsible for helping those families to be able to rest and feel mentally settled by helping them to get a permanent immigration status in a safe place. With that status, they'll not worry about being sent back to danger.” 

After an historic evacuation effort, the United States should guarantee Afghan humanitarian parolees not just temporary safety, but certainty: the certainty of future security, the certainty that citizenship affords families and their future generations, and the certainty that they will be able to craft their lives from all—not just some—of what the U.S. has to offer. Congress can remedy this situation and provide long-term support to our new Afghan neighbors by passing the Afghan Adjustment Act which was reintroduced by bipartisan groups of lawmakers earlier this summer. 

TAKE ACTION: Call your Georgia members of Congress and ask them to pass the Afghan Adjustment Act 

Lina shared, “The asylum process is a lengthy process; families won't be able to rest until they get a decision which might take years. The Afghan Adjustment Act (AAA) will provide an immediate solution to those families without having to go through that lengthy process. The uncertainty around the AAA is depriving those families of feeling safe and secure. Additionally, some of those families have limited to no immigration pathways—without the AAA they might end up sent back to danger which is heartbreaking.” 

Georgia’s asylum approval rates are some of the lowest in the nation; so far six clients served through the IRC-GAIN clinics have been granted asylum, which impacts a total 19 individuals (including the spouses and children of principal applicants). “The moment my first client was granted asylum made me feel over the moon,” shared Lina. “I personally helped this client to file for asylum, and I was always worried about this particular case. When the decision was positive, I felt so proud, and it made all the work worthwhile for me. I can feel my humanity rising while doing this job. I enjoy helping people in need from all over the world, different cultures, languages and backgrounds, and I feel the most rewarded when my clients finally get green cards and are able to live safely permanently.” 

Zuhra Aziz, Esq., Equal Justice Works Fellow at Georgia Asylum & Immigration Network and a key leader in this project shared, "The clinics GAIN conducted in collaboration with the IRC set the standard for non-profit partnerships. They demonstrated that when organizations like ours come together, we have the potential to fill major gaps in service for underserved populations. As a result of our teamwork, hundreds of Afghan parolees came a few steps closer to achieving safety and stability in the United States."

We at the IRC in Atlanta are incredibly grateful for the partnership and expertise that the dedicated and passionate GAIN team have brought to our collaboration. Our Executive Director, Justin Howell, shared, “The IRC in Atlanta has been lucky to partner with GAIN to ensure that vulnerable community members understand their legal rights and are able to avail themselves of the protections offered by the U.S. legal system. Partnering with GAIN has further validated my belief that adequately serving the community requires partnerships that allow organizations to leverage their collective expertise and resources, resulting in synergistic effects that truly change lives.” 

Please join us in continuing to contact Georgia members of Congress and asking them to pass the Afghan Adjustment Act! Find additional information and contact phone numbers on our website here. 

To learn more about the work of the IRC in Atlanta and for information on how you can get involved with the IRC as a donor or volunteer, please contact Development Director, Heloise Ahoure, at [email protected] or 678-636-8941.  

Stay connected to the IRC in Atlanta! Sign up for our monthly newsletter, like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram for announcements and upcoming events!